


Afternoon in the Park

by Puffcat



Category: Tennis no Oujisama | Prince of Tennis
Genre: Because that first meeting is so adorable, Inspired by 101 Dalmatians, M/M, alpha pair, and I really like embarrassing Sanada, his dog is the best wingman ever basically
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-29
Updated: 2016-02-29
Packaged: 2018-05-23 23:20:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,810
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6133582
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Puffcat/pseuds/Puffcat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sanada needs someone new in his life, and it's up to his dog to help him figure that out.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Afternoon in the Park

On a beautiful summer day, in a window of a small, modest flat overlooking Ueno Park, laid a very bored looking German shepherd. He sighed, looking over his shoulder at his flatmate, hard at work at his desk. Whoever said that the life of a bachelor was exciting, the dog thought, was a liar. Sanada Genichirou, while he was the kindest owner a dog could want, was a mostly sedentary, and solitary creature. If he wasn’t meditating early in the morning, he was practicing calligraphy in the afternoon, or going over paperwork for the dojo he owned. He needed a change. Someone new in his life.

The dog stretched absentmindedly, yawning widely. The tag on his collar jingled, the gold tag with the name ‘Yukimura’ etched into it catching the light of the late afternoon sun. His owner didn’t need anyone to cook, or clean, or anything of that sort, Yukimura mused, looking around the pristine and orderly flat. No, what he needed was someone that would shake things up, put some cheer and excitement into both of their lives. And considering how likely it was for Sanada to realize this…it looked like it was going to be up to him to take the situation into his own hands. Or paws, as it were.

He turned back to the window, peering down into the street below, fluffy tail swishing behind him. Here was as good a place as any to start searching. The first pair to walk by was a handsome man with grey hair, walking his very regal looking, very long haired hound. They managed to give off an air of wealth and importance without even trying, and by the look of that collar the dog was wearing – those had to be diamonds it was studded with – it wasn’t without warrant. Yukimura shook his head slightly. Much too fancy for both himself and Sanada.

And his luck didn’t get any better after that. He watched as an elderly man slowly tottered by, an equally aged, ruffled terrier at his side. Too old. A small girl, no more than 10, with an excited little Labrador puppy running circles around her. Too young. A redhead going jogging with his – Yukimura had to blink rapidly at that point, thinking for sure he was dreaming. He’d never seen a cat on a leash before, let alone willingly. And as cute as that redhead might have been, that cat was an absolute deal breaker. The shepherd whined softly, resting his chin on his paws in defeat. There had to be someone out there. Tokyo was an awfully big city, after all. But they just didn’t seem to live near the park, where Yukimura could notice them.

He was just about to give up, and maybe try and have nap, when he saw her. Instantly, he was on his feet, nose pressed against the window, staring at a beautiful French Spaniel. She walked along the road on dainty paws, the slightly curly fur of her ears and tail occasionally watching the breeze. She was so perfect, Yukimura thought, there was no way her owner could be as lovely. His eyes widened as he glanced away from the other dog, to the young man holding her leash. His shoulder length navy hair was help up with a large clip, and his long legs were beautifully accentuated by the rolled shorts he wore. Why, Yukimura couldn’t have been more wrong, the owner was more than gorgeous, an ideal match for Sanada. And what luck, it looked like they were heading for the park!

Realizing he might never find a better opportunity, Yukimura leapt off the window sill and ran to the hall, jumping to grab his leash off the hook. On the way back into the main room, he spared a look at the clock sitting on the coffee table. Only four in the afternoon. Sanada never took him out for an evening run until five. Making sure his owner wasn’t paying attention, Yukimura nudged the minute hand with his nose, until the clock read a quarter past five. He barked loudly, startling Sanada out of his concentration as he stood at the door.

The man stretched, rolling his shoulders. “After 5 already…?” He got up from his chair slowly, to which Yukimura responded by scratching anxiously at the door. “Alright, alright! I’m coming, stop that.” Luckily he was already wearing suitable jogging clothes, and only needed to grab his cap off another coat hook. Yukimura barely managed to hold still long enough for Sanada to clip the leash onto his collar, before he was pulling him out the door and down the stairs.

As soon as they were out in the street, he took off at a run, practically dragging his owner behind him. They quickly made it past the gates of the park, and Yukimura began his search. They had to be here, they just had to. Looking around a bush, he saw the rich man from before, seated across from a tall, bespectacled gentleman, the Afghan hound lounging between them. He moved on, passing both the old man relaxing on a bench and the little girl as he dashed along the path, straining against his lead.

“Yukimura, slow down!” Sanada called, attempting to no avail to hold back his eager pet.

The more he ran through the park, the more Yukimura began to think he’d missed them. Perhaps they’d passed by the park entirely. He rushed past a side path, and Sanada nearly tripped over him as he stopped dead in his tracks. There they were, the pretty spaniel and her owner, the man sitting on a bench sketching as his dog sat on the ground beside him. Knowing that his own owner could not be counted on to make any kind of move, Yukimura swallowed, trying to think of a plan to get the two humans to meet. He started by leading Sanada down the narrow trail toward them. Puffing out his chest and doing his very best to look as handsome as possible, Yukimura slowed to a walk, taking his time in passing the pair. As he went by, the spaniel turned her head, watching them go. Her owner briefly glanced up from his sketchbook.

“Time for a break already? You shouldn’t have tired yourself out so quickly, you know.” Sanada admonished his dog as they took a seat on the grass, a short distance from the bench. Yukimura paid him no heed, already thinking of what to do next. Something, anything, to really get their attention. Carefully, he walked around behind his owner, and in a flash, snatched the cap from his head.

“Hey!”

Yukimura danced out of Sanada’s reach, wagging his tail gleefully as he shook his prize between his teeth. He ran over to the bench where the navy haired man sat and tossed the cap onto the empty space beside him.

Frowning, Sanada made his way over this naughty pet and grabbed his hat, jamming it securely back onto his head. “What has gotten into you?” He grumbled, but Yukimura wasn’t listening. Upon checking to see if his intended audience had been watching, he found that they had gone!

Sanada almost didn’t catch the end of his leash before Yukimura was off again, tearing down the path, increasing his speed when he saw his targets a short distance ahead of them. He barked, desperately hoping that would stop them.

“Yukimura, wait!!”

The spaniel’s owner turned around, an affronted look on his face. “Excuse me, _sir,_ but I don’t appreciate – Ah!” He tumbled forward into Sanada as Yukimura ran around their legs, tangling his leash around the two men and throwing them both off balance as they tried to get free. Without thinking, Sanada caught the other around his thin waist as he toppled against his chest.

Sanada blinked, steadying himself, and blushed furiously as he realized his predicament. “Please excuse me-I, I’m so sorry…” He trailed off, looking into the stranger’s deep blue eyes. He felt the other shift in his grip, and he immediately released him, reaching down to awkwardly try and untangle them. To Sanada’s irritation, Yukimura continued to circle, panting happily, and in the process only wrapping them up further.

“Do I know you…?” At the sound of a silvery, very confused voice, Sanada focused his attention on the - very good looking, he realized - stranger.

“I, no, I don’t believe you do.” He certainly would have remembered a man like the one currently pressed against him.

The other man raised an eyebrow. “But you knew my name. Are you stalking me?”

Now it was Sanada’s turn to be confused. “Your name…? I have no idea, I was calling to my dog before.” At the mention of a dog, Yukimura yipped in delight, before unwinding the leash a bit in favor of trying to sniff the other dog, who was sitting behind her owner, ears lowered nervously.

“Your dog’s name is Yukimura?”

Sanada flushed again, cursing Sasuke, not for the first time, for the name he had given his dog. “It was my nephew's idea. According to him, ‘together we make a samurai’. Because my last name is Sanada…” It sounded so stupid when he tried to explain it, and he was quickly becoming more and more embarrassed.

But to his surprise, the stranger just laughed. “That’s very cute. And a funny coincidence! You see, my last name is Yukimura, that’s why I thought you were yelling at me just now.” He looked Sanada up and down, realizing how strong the chest his hands were currently resting on was. “But for the sake of lessening confusion… Please, call me Seiichi.” He smiled a sweet smile, and Sanada felt his heart lurch.

“Then…if you’ll allow me that privilege, I insist you call me Genichirou.”

Seiichi hummed in agreement. “Well then, _Genichirou_ … I have to be going, but…perhaps we could meet here sometime in the future? I wouldn’t mind getting tangled up with you again.” He winked, producing a pen from his pocket and taking the arm of a dumbfounded Sanada, carefully writing his phone number on the soft skin of the inside of his wrist. He then proceeded to carefully step out of the loops of leash around his legs, and picked up the end attached to his dog’s collar. “This is Vivienne, by the way. And we look forward to seeing you soon.”

And with that, the pair made their retreat, leaving a very shocked man and his positively ecstatic dog standing in the path behind them.

Let it never be said, Yukimura thought to himself, watching as Sanada sighed, looking after the other man in amazement, that he never did anything to help his owner in times of desperate need. This certainly looked like it would be the beginning of something life-changing.

**Author's Note:**

> Completely inspired by 101 Dalmations, especially the track "A Beautiful Spring Day" from the ost. Thank you for reading!


End file.
